Liquid or water level control



A ril 30, 1935. P. N. BRAUN LIQUID OR WATER LEVEL CONTROL Filed Feb. 10,1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

April 30, 1935. P. N. BRAUN 1,999,439

LIQUID 0R WATER LEVEL CONTROL Filed Feb. 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 mom on warm LEVEL con'mor.

Philip N. Braun, Syracuse, N. Y aleignor to The Prosperity Company1110., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February10, 1932, Serial No. 592,054

11 Claims.

, This invention relates to a liquid, or water level control, by whichthe level 01' a liquid, or

water, in a accurately receptacle, tank, or chamber, may be regulated,and has for its object a simple, efllcient, and accurate, level control,by

which a predetermined level is obtained regardless 01 variations in thewater pressure from time to time.

It further has for its object automatic means generally for presetting amember which means by trolled by a setting member operated by theleakcontrols the water level and more specifically which a predeterminedlevel is conage of a. liquid at a predeterminedrate from a chamber inwhich a presetting member is located and on whichthe liquid, inthepresetting chamber, acts.

The invention consists in the novel'teatures and in the inaiter setcombinations and constructions hereforth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which like characters the views.

Figure l designate corresponding parts in all is a fragmentary elevationof ,a commercial laundry washing machine embodying my invention, thecontiguous portion of a cycle timer mechanism being also shown, the dumpvalve being open, and the valve, which controls the flow of liquid tothe presetting,cylinder, being open.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the cycle timer mechanism beingomitted, showing the dump valvev closed and the drain valve of thepresetting chamber open.

Figure 3 in section,

is a view similar to Figure 2, partly showing the position of thecontrol parts when the drain valve has been closed, and the presettingmember set in its flnal position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the float and the presetting piston andchamber, and contiguous parts.

Figure 5 ure 4.

' Figure 6 trol switch ting piston Figure 7 valves, all

Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 55, Figis an enlarged, detail viewof the conoperated by the float and the presetis a detail view of one ofthe control the control valves being similar.

is an enlarged, fragmentary viewof the program sheet of the cycle timer.

Figure 9 is a detail view of the timer.

I have here illustrated my invention as applied to a commercial type oflaundry washing machine.

In laund ry washing machines there are in the course of a washing cycleseveral dumping and filling operations, and the receptacle or tank ofthe washing machine is filled to a predetermined level, the levelvarying for different loads and for diiierent operations in the washingcycle of the same load. The level oi the liquid depends on the timeelement, and on the water pressure. It

the water pressure, or the rate of flow, decreases,

below a given pressure, a longer time element will be required to flllthe receptacle or tank to a predetermined level and therefore, it thepressure varies the time element must also be varied. The time elementis preferably controlled by a cycle timer.

The object oi. this invention is to preset a water level determiningmember, and control the level in the tank or receptacle by a float, ormeans performing the function of afloat, cooperating with the presettingmember to close the valve in the intake pipe for the tank or receptaclewhen the predetermined level determined by the presetting member isreached and the controlling of the presetting member.

the illustrated embodiment of my invention the setting oi the presettingmember is controlled by the leakage of liquid at a predetermined ratefrom the chamber of thepresetting member or piston tor a predeterminedtime, the cycle timer.

determined by The rate of leakage, or the draining of the liquid fromthe presetting chamber, can be accurately determined as the flow, or thedraining out is by gravity, or its equivalent, as a predetermined springpressure or gravity plus the weight of the presetting member and parts.a

I designates the tank, or receptacle, of a commercial laundry washingmachine, this being usually a horizontal cylinder.

2 is the usual perforated drum or basket mounted in the cylinder to moveabout a horizontal axis, the drum being actuated in any suitable manneras will be understood by those skilled in the art, to rotate a certainnumber of times in one direction, and then reverse and rotate apredetermined number of times in the other direction, the reversalsbeing repeated at regular intervals throughout the entire operation.

4 designates an intake pipe for the washing fluid, this communicatingwith hot and cold water pipes 5 and 6 which are connected to suitablesources of hot and cold water.

I is a control valve in the hot water pipe, and 8 a control valve in thecold water pipe.

9 designates the dump valve.

These valves are operated or controlled in their operation by a cycletimer, and the intake valves 1 and 8 ,are additionally controlled by thelevel control to shut them off, or close them when the predeterminedlevel is reached, the cycle timer itself being set to hold the valvesopen for a maximum time, or for a time sumcient to permit the water toflow into the receptacle I to the highest level at the lowest pressure,and the water level control acts to take the closing of the valve out ofthe control of the cycle timer when the predetermined level is reached.As before stated, the timer is set so that the predetermined level willbe reached at the lowest pressure before the timer reaches the pointwhere it would cause the valves to close.

It will be understood that there are several conditions that would tendto vary the pressure. One of these conditions is that a plural number ofwashers may be filled at the same time from the same source, tank, orcylinder, causing the pressure to drop in the feed pipes to all of them.In its generic aspect the liquid level control comprises a shiftablepresetting member, or part, shiftable to different selected positions,and timer-controlled means operable to shift said member, or part, andthereby automatically preset same to a selected or predetermined position to control and permit the closing valve in the feed pipeof thereceptacle being filled, when a predetermined liquid level is reached.

More specifically the liquid or water level control comprises apresetting chamber as a cylinder having an intake valve I2, and anoutlet or drain valve I3, a movable member as a piston I4 in thecylinder and operable by the pressure of the liquid or water therein; afloat I5 operated by the level of the liquid in the receptacle I, or ina float chamber I6 with which the receptacle is provided, or to which itis connected; connections between the stem of the float and the pistonrod andoperable by movement of the float relative to the piston when thelatter is in its preset position; a control member operated by therelative movement of these connections for closing the valves 1 or 8whichever happens to be open, or both of them in case both of them areopen, when the predetermined level is reached, timed means for openingthe valve I2 to permit the liquid to enter the presetting cylinder andactuate the' presetting member to a maximum position or height, andtimed means for opening the drain valve I3 to permit the liquid to drainfrom the presetting chamber I I at a predetermined rate, until thepiston reachesthe predetermined level.

The valves I2 and I3 are controlled by the cycle timer. Preferably, thevalve heads of each of the valves 1, 8, I2, or i3, is as seen in Figure7,

closed by a spring I! and opened by means of the piston I8 connected tothe stem I9 of the valve head 20, the piston being movable in a cylinder2| which is connected through a suitable pipe to a source of supply ofmotive fluid, as compressed air. The flow of motive fluid, as compressedair, is controlled by the timer. The dump valve 9 is also operated by asimilar air cylinder 23 connected in the air system to the cycle timer.The piston in the cylinder 23, through suitable connections, actuates arock arm 24 which depresses the usual pedal-25 of the dump valve. Incommercial machines, the dump valve is usually operated by the pedal 25and in applying my invention to the commercial washing machines, thepower mechanism for the dump valve conveniently acts on the pedal 25.

The cycle timer may be of any suitable form, size, and construction, andper se forms no part of this invention. The cycle timer here shown, isof the type described in pending application of Walter B. Hutchings, Sr.No. 494,176, filed November 7, 1930, although any work cycle timer maybe used.

The work cycle timer here shown includes a program or formula sheet 29of insulation as paper. This is mountable upon a turn table 26', whichis actuated by an electric motor, or other timed movement. The turntable is a conductor and connected in an electric circuit. The programsheet 26 is provided with slots 21, 23, 29, and 30, and several otherslots in accordance with the washing formula. A series of contacts 3|,32, 33, 34, are paired with the slots, there being one contact for eachslot or row of slots, and the contacts make contact with a terminalcommon to all of them, this terminal being usually the turn tableunderlying the formula sheet 24. When any one of the contacts is inregister with its companion slot, a branch circuit Is closed thereby andremains closed as long as the contact is in register with the slot. Thecontact 3| and the slot 21 control the opening of the dump valve 9, theslot 29 and its contact 33 control the opening of the hot water valve 1,and the slot 30 and its contact 34 the opening of the cold water valve8, and these slots are long enough so that the valves, insofar as thecontact is concerned, may be open for a maximum time, but the closing ofthe valves 1, 8, is controlled by the water level control, or by theopening of the circuits closed by the contacts 33, 34, through theslots-29, 30, before the slots 29, 30, have moved out of register withthe contacts 33, 34. The contacts 3|, 32, 33, and 34, thus control theflow of air to the dump valve cylinder 23, and the cylinders 2| of eachof the valves I, 9, I2 and I3. The flow of air is controlled by suitablevalves 35, 36, 31, and 38, in air pipes which communicate with a header39 which is connected by a feed pipe 40 to any suitable supply ofcompressed air. Each of the valves 35, 36, 31, and 39, is operated by amagnet or solenoid 4|, 42, 43 or 44. The windings of the solenoid 4| areconnected in the feed circuit through the contact 3| and slot 21, andthe windings of each of the other solenoids 42, 43, and 44, areconnected in the feed circuits through the contacts 32, 33, and 34, whenin register with the slots 28, 29, and 39, respectively.

In operation, assuming that the slot 21 is in register with the contact3|, the current passes from feed wire 45, through wire 46, to theterminal 41 and turn table 26 common to all of the contacts, thencethrough the contact 3|, wire 49, through the windings of the magnet 4|,thence to the other feed wire 49. When the magnet 4| is energized itsarmature 50 is attracted, thus causing the valve 35 to open, andpermitting air to flow from the header 39 through the valve 35, pipe 5|,to the cylinder 23 and actuate the piston therein to open the dump valve9. At the same time, air passes from the pipe 5|, through a branch 52,to the cylinder 2|, which operates the head of the valve 2 permittingwater, or other liquid to pass from a suitable feed pipe 53, through thevalve, and through pipes 54, 55, into the bottom end of the presettingcylinder I and actuate the piston |4 therein upwardly to its fullextent. The dump valve 9 remains open as long as the contact 3I is inregister with the slot 21. When the slot 23 registers with the contact32, a circuit is closed from the feed line 45, through the wire43, andterminal 42, to the turn table 26, thence through contact 32, and wire56, windings of the magnet 42, thence through wire 51 to the other linewire 43 causing the magnet 42 to attract its armature 53 and open theair valve 36 permitting air to flow from the header 33 through pipe 53to the cylinder H of the drain valve I3, opening said drain valve andpermitting the liquid to drain at a fixed rate out of the presettingcylinder II as long as the valve I3 is open, the piston I4 followingdown as the liquid recedes in the cylinder I I. The drain valve remainsopen as long as the contact 32 is in register with the slot 23. When thedrain valve I3 closes, the piston I4 is accurately preset to determinethe level in the tank I, as will be presently described.

After the presetting of the piston I4, or just before the end of thepresetting operation, the

slot 23 may come into register with the contact 33 and thus establish acircuit from the feed line 35 through wire 46, terminal 41, turntable26, contact 33, wire 63, windings of magnet 43 and thence, through a cutout switch, to be presently described, back to wire 43, thus opening thehot water valve I, or the cold water valve 8 may be opened when the slot30 of the formula sheet registers with contact 34, establishing acircuit from the feed wire 43, wire 46, terminal 41, turn table 26,contact 34, wire 6|, windings of electro-magnet 44 and thence throughthe cut out switch, to be described, back to the line wire 43.

10 designates the cut-out switch which is in a broad sense, a controlmember for controlling the closing of the hot and cold water valve, thisswitch being operated by the relative movement of the float I5 and thepiston I4 when it is in its preset position and is carried byconnections between the rod or stem H of the piston and the rod 12 ofthe piston.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the float I4 is coupledto the piston rod 12 to be carried upwardly therewith and to settledownwardly while the liquid is draining out of the presetting cylinder II and hence, to meet the rising liquid in the receptacle, or in thefloat chamber I6 which is in communication therewith, and theconnections are such that when the float does meet the level of therising liquid in the float chamber and is buoyed up thereby, it movesupwardly and operates the switch 10. The piston l4 thus presets thefloat, or the connections between it' and the float so that they will beoperated by the liquid when it reaches a predetermined level.

The connections between the piston rod 12 and the float rod H are hereshown as a lever or rocking cross head 13 pivoted at 14 to a block 15 atthe upper end of the piston rod 12, and connected at its other end tothe float rod 1 I, by a lost motion connection consisting of two spacedapart shoulders 16 and 11. The block 15 moves in a suitable extension ofthe presetting cylinder I I, which extension is provided with alengthwise slot 18 through which the lever 13 extends, and the block 15is provided with a shoulder 13 for limiting the downward movement of thelever. The cut out or control switch 10 is operated by the relativemovement or tilting of the lever 13 and is here shown as a mercurytumbler switch, normally in the position shown in Figure 6 wherein thebody of mercury 83 submerges the terminals 3|, 32 and hence, closes thecircuit through wires 33 and 34, connected respectively in circuit withthe windings of the magnet 43, 44, and to the line wire 43. A suitablehand set regulating valve 33 is provided in the pipe 53.

In operation, when the dump valve 3 is opened and also the valve I2opened, as before described, water passes through the valve I2 and pipes54 and 55 to the presetting cylinder II moving the piston I4 upwardly toits full extent carrying the float I5 upwardly therewith, the cut outswitch 10 being in its closed position, as shown in Figure 6. The dumpvalve 3 and the valve I2, being controlled by the contact 3 I, areclosed when the slot 21 moves out of register with the contact 3|.Thereafter, the valve I3 is opened by reason of the slot 23 registeringwith the contact 32 and when open, permits the fluid to drain from thepresetting cylinder II as long as the slot 28 is in register with thecontact 32.

During the draining out of the liquid from the presetting cylinder I4,the float I5 is carried downwardly to a predetermined height in thefloat chamber I6. Thereafter, either the hot or cold water valve 1 or 3is open, or both of them, dependent on the relative position of theslots 23, 30, but one position being shown in the drawings, Figure 8. Asbefore stated, these slots are of a maximum extent to permit the waterto flow into the tank I to the highest level at the lowest pressure. Asthe water rises in the tank I and float chamber I6 and meets the floatI5 and buoys up the same, the connection or lever 13 is tilted upwardlyinto position shown in Figures 3 and 5, thus tilting the mercury switch10 and breaking the circuit to the magnets 43 or 44, or both of them, sothat the hot or cold water valves, or both of them, are closed when thepredetermined level is reached. It is obvious that the level isaccurately determined and regulated by a fixed condition or element,that is, the draining of the liquid at a fixed rate from the presettingcylinder I4 and not by any element or condition that varies from time totime, and further that the element can be varied from one accuratecondition to another by varying the length of the slot 23.

It will be borne in mind that the laundryman makes his own formulasheets 26 to suit the conditions in his laundry and that different loadsfor the washing machine require different formulas and further, that thelaundryman standardizes as far as possible, the loads and has a formulasheet for each load in accordance with his classiflcation. Thelaundryman will therefore have several formula sheets in accordance withthe classification he has worked out for his laundry.

What I claim is: Y

1. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling the flow through said pipe, a timer, meansoperated thereby for controlling the opening and closing of the valvemeans, means operated by a predetermined level of liquid in thereceptacle for controlling and permitting the closing of said valvemeans including a movable element operated by the liquid, a presettingmember, a movable connection between said element and the presettingmember and operable by the movement of said element relatively to thepresetting member, a controller operable by the movement of saidconnections, and means operated by the timer for presetting saidpresetting member.

2. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling the flow through said pipe, a timer, meanscontrolled by the timer for controlling the opening and closing of thevalve means, means operated by a predetermined level of liquid in thereceptacle for controlling and permitting the closing of the valve meansincluding a movable element operated by the liquid in the receptacle, apresetting member, movable connections between said element and thepresetting member and operable by the movement of said elementrelatively to the presetting member, a controller operable by therelative movement of said connections, a pressure chamber in which thepresetting member is located, an inlet and an outlet for said chamberhaving valves therein, means operated by the timer for operating thevalves to open the inlet to permit the liquid in said chamber to operatethe presetting member to its fullest extent and to open the outlet valveto permit a predetermined amount 01' liquid to drain from said chamberto control and permit the closing of the outlet after a predeterminedperiod.

3. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling the flow through said pipe, the receptaclehaving a float chamber and an element operated by the level of theliquid, presetting means including a cylinder having a piston therein,an inlet pipe for the cylinder having a valve therein, an outlet havinga control valve therein, connections between the piston and saidelement, said connections being movable relative to said element and thepiston upon movement of said element by the liquid in the float chamber,a timer and means operated thereby for controlling the opening andclosing of the inlet valve of the receptacle and the inlet and outletvalves of said cylinder, and a control member operable by the movementof said connections by said element for controlling and permitting theclosing of the inlet valve of the receptacle.

4. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling said pipe, means for controlling the openingand closing of the valve means, an element operated by a predeterminedlevel of the liquid in the receptacle for controlling the closing ofsaid valve means including a chamber having an inlet and an outlet for aliquid, and a presetting member actuated by the liquid in the chamberfor setting the effective position of said element at a predeterminedlevel, means for opening the in let valve of said chamber to actuate thepresetting member to a predetermined maximum amount, a timer and meansoperated thereby for controlling the opening and control and permit theclosing of the outlet valve to permit a predetermined amount of liquidto drain from said chamber and thereby set the presetting member in apredetermined position.

5. The combination with a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,a valve for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe, means forcontrolling the opening and closing of the valve, means for controllingthe closing of the valve including a chamber having a valve controlledinlet for a liquid and a valve controlled outlet, a presetting member inthe chamber to be actuated by the liquid therein, a timer, meansoperated by the timer for opening the inlet valve of said chamber toactuate the presetting membar to a predetermined maximum amount and toopen and control and permit the closing of the outlet valve to permit apredetermined amount of liquid to drain from said chamber and therebyset the presetting member at a predetermined point, an element operatedby the level of the liquid in the receptacle, cooperating parts betweensaid element and the presetting member and operable by the movement ofsaid element relatively to the presetting member, when the latter is inits preset position, and a member operated by the cooperating parts forcontrolling the operation of the first means to control the closing ofthe intake valve of the receptacle, when a predetermined level isreached.

6. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for opening and closing said pipe, means for controlling theclosing of said valve means including an element controlled by the levelof the liquid in the receptacle, means for presetting the effectiveposition of said element at a predetermined level including a cylinderhaving a piston therein, an inlet and outlet for the cylinder, eachhaving a valve therein, a timer, means operated thereby for operatingthe inlet valve, whereby the piston is actuated to a maximum extent, andmeans operated by the timer for opening and controlling and permittingthe closing of the outlet for said cylinder for a predetermined timewhereby the piston is stopped at a predetermined point, connectionsbetween said element and the piston movable by the relative movement ofsaid element by the liquid in the receptacle, and a member controlled bythe movement of said connections for controlling the closing of theinlet valve of the receptacle.

7. The combination of a. receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid, avalve for controlling the flow through said pipe, means for controllingthe opening and closing of the valv, and means operated by the level ofthe liquid in the receptacle for operating the valve controlling meansincluding an element controlled by the level of the liquid in thereceptacle, 8. presetting member and chamber in which it is located, thechamber having an inlet, and also an outlet from which the liquid flowsby gravity, a timer and means operated thereby for opening the inletvalve of the chamber to actuate the presetting member's predeterminedmaximum distance and for controlling and permitting the closing of thesame and for controlling the opening and permitting the closing of theoutlet valve of the chamber, whereby a predetermined amount of liquiddrains from the presetting chamber and a controller for controlling theclosing of the first mentioned valve, said controller being operated bythe differential movement of said element and the presetting member.

8. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid, avalve for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe, a timer,means operated by the timer for controlling the opening and closing ofthe valve, an element operated by the level of the liquid in thereceptacle, a presetting member, means controlled by the timer foractuating the presetting member a predetermined amount, a controller forcontrolling the closing of the first mentioned valve, and means operatedby the differential movement of said element and the presetting memberfor operating the controller.

9. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe, atimer, means operated by the timer for controlling the opening andclosing of said valve means, means operated by the level of the liquidin the receptacle, means operated by the liquid-level-operated means forcontrolling and permitting the closing of said valve means, theliquid-level-operated means including a part shiftable to differentlevels, and means operated by the timer for shifting to difierent levelssaid part.

10. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling r the liquid through said pipe, a timer,means controlled thereby for effecting the opening and closing of thevalve means, means operated by the level of the liquid in the receptaclefor controlling and permitting the closing of said valve means andincluding a part shiftable to difierent selected positions, and meansoperated by the timer for shifting said part, andthereby presetting thesame to a selected position to control and permit the closing of thevalve means when a predetermined liquid level is reached.

11. The combination of a receptacle having an inlet pipe for a liquid,valve means for controlling the flow through said pipe, a timer meanscontrolled thereby for effecting the opening and closing of the valvemeans, means operated by the 'level of the liquid in the receptacle forcontrolling and permitting the closing of said valve means, including apart shiftable to different selected positions, and means controlled bythe timer for automatically shifting said part to a predeterminedselected position to control the closing of the valve means when theliquid level reaches the selected predetermined level.

PHILIP N. BRAUN.

